By Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice
OKLAHOMA CITY — A second high-ranking official in the Oklahoma governor’s administration has announced he’s resigning from his post.
Josh Cockroft, who serves as Oklahoma’s secretary of state and as Gov. Kevin Stitt’s chief policy advisor, announced on social media that he is resigning effective Oct. 2. He was appointed in 2023 by Stitt to serve as secretary of state and chief policy advisor.
Cockroft, who is also a former state lawmaker, said it’s been an “honor” to serve the state of Oklahoma. In a letter he addressed to the governor dated Aug. 18, Cockroft thanked Stitt for his trust.
“As I reflect on our accomplishments I can’t help but be filled with immense pride in what we’ve achieved together,” he wrote in the letter. “The unwavering pursuit of your guiding principles has shaped every decision you’ve made, and I have been incredibly blessed to be part of this movement.”
Crockroft and the Governor’s Office did not return requests for comment, but in a post on X, Cockroft said he’s “excited to announce a new chapter soon.”
Cockroft’s resignation comes as Stitt on Monday announced he is searching for a replacement for Rick Rose, the head of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services and who also serves as Oklahoma’s chief operating officer.
Rose tendered his resignation, effective Sept. 26, just over a year after being appointed to the position. His resignation followed a dispute with Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
Drummond said he sent Stitt a letter questioning Rose’s decision not to approve requests to purchase vehicles for agents in his office and whether or not this was at Stitt’s direction. He said Rose denied the purchase because he wanted to know why Drummond’s employee count had grown.
In a statement provided late Monday evening, Rose denied Drummond’s claim that he resigned because of the attorney general’s letter.
On Tuesday, Rose clarified in a statement that he told Stitt he was going to resign last week, before Drummond’s letter was sent. He said he plans to return to a private law practice. Rose said that his decision was based on conversations with his family.
He accused Drummond of using his resignation as an opportunity to “score political points” ahead of an election year. Drummond is running for governor in the 2026 election.
“Under state law the OMES Director holds the authority to approve or deny agency vehicle purchases,” Rose said Monday evening. “It’s up to the agency to justify the need for that vehicle. This helps promote responsible spending of state dollars. OMES contacted a number of agencies and does not seek a personal battle with the AG. While other agencies complied with the request, the AG chose to write an accusatory letter to the governor.”
Reporter Barbara Hoberock contributed to this story.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 1:28 p.m. Tuesday to include more details about Rick Rose’s resignation.
